


Mother's Day

by Bearslayer



Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: Family Dynamics, Light Angst, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-20
Updated: 2018-01-20
Packaged: 2019-03-07 08:59:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,874
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13431366
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bearslayer/pseuds/Bearslayer
Summary: Tabitha notices something is wrong with Selina.





	Mother's Day

**Author's Note:**

> Based on two prompts received on Tumblr! Enjoy, you two. :D

Tabitha watched from across the room, black latex catsuit blending her to the shadows expertly. Her stare was intense, her frown deep. She didn't understand what was happening, but she swore she would get to the bottom of it before the day was out. Sitting in the open window was the curly-haired youth she had taken in, Selina. She had been there for hours, staring out into the distance with earbuds blocking out any of Tabitha's attempts to speak to her. Usually Selina's anger or pain led to her taking it out in some more reasonable way, like getting into fights or robbing the fanciest place she could find.

Tabitha didn't like how aloof she was being. In fact, she outright hated it and was ready to rip the earbuds out and force her to spar to address whatever it was she was feeling head on. Well-toned muscles twitched beneath the suit as she rose from her feline crouch.

She was so distracted she didn't notice that Barbara had taken up the space against the wall beside her. It was ironic, considering that Babs stuck out even in the shadows with that beautiful blonde hair and form-fitting red dress that accentuated every stretch of milky white skin... Tabitha shook her head roughly. Leave it to Barbara to distract her just by being attractive in her presence. She redirected her attention to Selina as Barbara leaned against her.

“What's her problem?” Barbara asked softly.

“I don't know. She's been like that for at least three hours. She hasn't eaten or moved. I don't even know if she's listening to something or if she's just got those in her ears so I'll leave her alone. I tried talking to her and she pretended I wasn't there.” Tabitha explained, voice giving away her worry.

“Surprised you didn't push her out the window for ignoring you.” Barbara teased. Tabitha frowned at her, which caused the other woman to blink and pull a more serious face. When Tabitha couldn't joke about maiming or murdering, Barbara knew it was serious.

“I hate this. I don't know what's wrong and if I bug her too much she's just gonna get pissy and leave.” Tabitha said.

“Well... Let's give this some consideration. What could be bothering her?” Barbara said; she was more logical those days, more methodical. If anyone could figure it out without Selina being driven away, it was her.

“If I knew that I wouldn't have been watching her so long.” Tabitha muttered lamely.

“It isn't the Wayne kid again, is it?” Barbara mused.

“Can't be. She hasn't seen him in at least a month so he can't have done anything new to piss her off.” Tabitha said.

“Hm... Has her training been going well?” Barbara asked.

“She's getting better every day.” Tabitha said, making no effort to hide the pride she felt.

“Tabby-cat, you're... glowing!” Barbara said, grinning that Cheshire grin.

“What? I'm proud of her. Why should I hide it?” Tabitha folded her arms over her chest, head tilting.

“You're a proud mama, that's so cute. I never thought I'd see the day.” Barbara cooed teasingly.

“So what does that make you? Dad?” Tabitha chuckled.

“No, if anything you'd be dad. I'd be... the highly critical and stunningly attractive aunt, maybe.” Barbara shrugged.

“Mm, but daddy ain't shacking up with auntie. No – you're the mom. You do fuss over us in a low-key way.” Tabitha smirked.

“Daddy, huh? Maybe I should start calling you daddy. Would you like that... daddy?” Barbara smirked; her tone had dropped at the last moment, and Tabitha's eyes went wide. Her body's reaction was instant and wholly inappropriate for the situation. Taking a deep breath, she glared at the other woman.

“Maybe we could just both be mom... We're getting off-track. I can't stand seeing her like this. It's weird.” Tabitha pushed away from the wall and Barbara, who pouted petulantly.

“Fine, fine, let me think.” Barbara heaved a sigh, falling quiet for a moment as she pondered the possibilities.

“Tabs... What do we know about her family?” Barbara moved to Tabitha's side as they both observed the teen, who hadn't moved an inch.

“Like, nothing. She grew up in the Narrows, no family. She mentioned her mom showed up once just to try and use her for something.” Tabitha scowled.

“What day is it, Tabby-cat?” Barbara's face suddenly softened.

“Uhm, Sunday? May something.” Tabitha said.

“The second Sunday of the month. It's Mother's Day.” Barbara looked to her lover. It was rare that Barbara felt anything openly aside from rage, exasperation, or arousal, but at that moment she looked sad. “I think our little kitten misses her mother.”

“What? Why would she? Her mother was an asshole!” Tabitha protested.

“Tabby. I know you're a special case, but every little girl wants her mother to be there for her.” Barbara sighed.

“You murdered your mom.” Tabitha said, voice bland.

“... Maybe so, but we're not talking about me, are we?” Barbara hissed, taking her hand and beginning to power-walk towards the girl. Even there in their home Barbara walked like a model with something to prove. Tabitha linked their fingers as they bridged the gap between them and Selina.

“Selina.” Barbara said once they reached her. Selina didn't look at them. Barbara, not one to be ignored, plucked one earbud out. “ _Selina_.”

“Ow! What do you want?” Selina stared up at them.

“Your attention. You've been moping all afternoon.” Barbara returned. Tabitha frowned a little at her methodology, but stayed quiet, assuming she had some plan. Selina pulled the earbud back up, jamming it spitefully into her ear.

“Leave me alone. We don't have any heists planned and none of our usual marks are around.” Selina mumbled.

“Selina... honey. We know what's bothering you. I think.” Tabitha pulled away from Barbara, resting against the wall. Selina rolled her eyes heavily, pulling out the earbuds again.

“Nothing's **bothering** me except you two hovering around assuming something is bothering me.” She mumbled defensively.

“You've been at this window for hours. It's Mother's Day, why don't we go out and do something?” Tabitha said, hoping her tone was as soft and careful as she was attempting to make it.

Selina's eyes widened in that telltale way, her jaw going tight. One of two things would happen next; either Selina would creep out the window and find her way to the ground to flee, or she would just yell at her. Tabitha was ready for either option. If Selina wanted to flee, Tabitha would just tail her until she was ready to talk. If she wanted to yell, she would let her.

Tabitha, however, was not prepared to handle the sight of tears springing to those big, expressive eyes of hers. Tabitha froze in her spot, watching as tears slid from the corners, across the expanse of her cheekbones, soaking into the girl's shirt. She felt a sudden rush of terror and shame. This was Tabitha's fault!She had hurt the girl somehow, and didn't know how to fix it. Did people hug in situations like this? She knew she was emotionally stunted at best. She could feel her jaw muscles clenching.

The urge to shout at her rose up, the way her own father would demean her whenever he saw tears in her eyes when she was a child. The urge to leave the way own mother would when she needed affection cropped up alongside it. She crushed those impulses down as she searched her mind for something better, some real way to console her, to make this right. Tabitha was so conflicted that she could do little more then stand still and frown.

Barbara must have either looked at her or sensed her panic, stepping in and brushing a tear from Selina's cheek.

“Now now. What are those tears for? You know you can talk to us, right?” Barbara said. Selina looked away from her, offended by her own tears. Tabitha understood that feeling well; it came with spending your whole life trying to prove your strength to the world.

“I don't want to talk. There's nothing to talk about. I just – I'm thinking about stupid stuff, okay?” Selina shoved the back of her hand across her cheeks to rid herself of the tears.

“It isn't stupid if it's making you cry. You don't cry over nothing, Cat, and it doesn't make you weak that you're crying now.” Tabitha said. She and Selina had clicked so easily because they were so alike. Though Tabitha grew up in a well-off family, she was expected to be hard and stoic. She had been trained from a young age to act as a bodyguard for her brother, and had been expected to never show any sort of emotion. Selina had grown up mostly on the streets, fending for herself. Any weakness meant that she could and would be taken advantage of or hurt. They had both been forced to forgo emotion, either out of necessity or obligation.

“I – I've been watching people from the window all day. It's a really nice day out and... people are out for walks with their moms. I hate it but I can't stop watching and... and thinking about how she just _ditched_ me. I could never take walks with her. I could never wake her up with breakfast in bed or any of that stupid crap that kids are supposed to do for their moms. And I thought I didn't care but for some reason today I can't **stop** caring.” The floodgates had opened, leaving Selina to sob out her words.

“Selina.” Tabitha's brows furrowed, and she leaned in, taking her face within her hands. “Listen to me.”

Selina stared up at her, though the tears continued to flow.

“Fuck your mother. Anyone who ditches their kid like that doesn't deserve to have a kid.” Tabitha said, shaking her head. At her side, Barbara knelt down, looking up to her.

“.. yeah. Fuck your mother. She missed out on having a great kid.” Barbara had softened her normally scathing voice, seeming to feel some genuine affection towards Selina.

“We aren't blood related, but that doesn't mean a thing. We're your family now, okay? Right Babs?” She glanced to the other woman.

“Mhm. You're stuck with us. We're your moms now. Do you wanna do anything special today? Take a walk, rob a bank?” Barbara said, her lack of hesitation warming Tabitha's heart.

The three were silent for a moment, Tabitha drying Selina's tears with all the care of a worried guardian. Barbara held her hand in both of hers, a surprising show of tenderness from the woman who had spent years hardening herself. They both saw themselves in Selina, a child who had been forced to grow up far too young, never allowed the normal milestones a girl was usually afforded.

“... Can we just make pancakes and watch stupid movies?” Selina asked, voice soft.

“Whatever you want, kid.” Tabitha smiled, pulling the girl close to hug her tight. Barbara stood, joining in the embrace.

Regardless of their pasts, the three were inexorably linked. They were an odd little family of strays against a world that sought to crush them.

Together, nothing could stop them.

 


End file.
